Ground Cherries - where to plant?

[applestar]

OK Ground Cherries are not tomatoes, but they're in the same family so I thought I'd post here. I'm ready to plant out my Cossack Pineapple Ground Cherries but am having trouble deciding where.

I know we've talked about them before and some people said they have them come back -- self seeded volunteers -- every year.

Do they need full sun or can they take some shade? Weedy nightshades in my garden manage to grow well and fruit even in semi-shade as long as they get a period of hot sun during the day.

Are they vigorous and able to overcome a certain amount of weediness and competition?

Are we talking 3-4 ft or more? Do you stake/support them like tomatoes?

[soil]

the ones I have just hug the ground, don't get very big in diameter( about 3ft tops) but they are LOADED with little tiny tomatillo looking fruits. I was given what was told pineapple tomatillo, which I later found out = pineapple ground cherry. to me they taste like trix cereal. good snacking for sure. I use them as a living mulch under my tomatoes. drought hardy and they keep the soil shaded and cool.

[!potatoes!]

no support needed...can take some shade but prefer full sun...and they'll only self-seed if you don't pick up all the fruits!

[applestar]

Sounds good guys! You probably know me well enough to know I won't only be planting them in a dedicated bed.

Do you suppose they might manage in the dwarf apple tree guild as well? ... Or do you think they'll be too much in the way -- inevitable to step on them while tending the tree? There used to be a huge tangle of black nightshade there a few years back (not in the last couple of years) so I think they might go together.

[soil]

we have them scattered through our food forest. some are under the apple trees.

[Duh_Vinci]

This is the third year I'm "planning" on planting those out, but fail every year, because not knowing where to plant them... But sound like just stick them somewhere, and it'll do fine, huh... Maybe I just dig up one spot in the fruit garden somewhere?

Regards,
D

[!potatoes!]

they seem to tend to reach to get more sun in slightly shaded situations - I'm using some as an understory/polyculture with yacon...

[marcille]

When do you pick them? Does anyone make jam/preserves with them? If so, do you have a recipe? Someone mentioned drying them--how do you do that?
We planted some in our garden but don't have much info on what to do with them now that they are growing.

Thanks!

[ruggr10]

They actually do best in not-so-fertile soil.

I put them in some weird places this year and some get less than perfect sun and they're still doing great.

It's best to harvest when they've dried up and fallen off the plant or close to it. If you pick them early they are toxic.

[applestar]

@marcille -- Check out this thread: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=198517#198517

[Runningtrails]

I made great jam with them last year and they were delicious! I also made turnovers with them too.

For the turnover filling I just cooked them a bit without peeling, added sugar to taste and a little flour for thickening.

Here is a good jam recipe:

[url=https://ayearintheheritagegardens.blogspot.com/2009/08/easy-peasy-ground-cherry-jam.html]Easy Peasy Ground Cherry Jam[/url]

They will reseed like crazy if you don't pick up all the fruits! I planted them in another spot this year and planted the tomatoes where I grew ground cherries and chichiquelites last year. Now I am constantly hoeing them out of the tomatoes! Ground cherries and chichiquelites both!

Some will fall to the ground even before they are ripe but if you leave them in the hulls they will ripen on the counter. Leave them until they are golden yellow and not the least bit green and they will be sweet and delicious! Not so if they are not quite ripe yet.

I plan to make wine with them this year! I am making wine with everything this year